Automobile workstand



Jan. 23, 1923.

w. P. KRAMER. l AUTOMOBILE WORKSTAND.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FILED NOV. 3,1921.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1923.

w. P. KRAMER.

AUTOMOBILE WORK-STAND.- FILED N0v.3,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jan. 23, 1923. 1,443,268. W. P. KRAMER. f.

AUTOMOBILE .woRKsTAND.

FILEDI Nov. 3, 1921. i v 3 sHETs-sHEET 3.

By ZJ Patented Jan. 23, 1923..

iran seras WILLIAM P. KRAMER, 0F SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE wonKsrANn.

Application filed November 3, 1921. Serial No. 512,434.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. KRAMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Saginaw9 in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan7 have invented a new and -Improved Automobile VVorkstand, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile work stands, an object of the invention being to provide a stand of this character in which a car may be placed and the stand may be moved to turn the car about into any convenient position for the purpose of repairs.

A further object is to provide a simple and practical operating means for turning-the stand, and to provide a stand which will be strong, durable and elicient in use7 and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangementsof parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. 4

In the accoi'npanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation ofmy improved supporting stand showing a car in position therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of Figure 1.r

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showingthe position of the car after the stand has been operated; Y

Figure 4C is an enlarged view in transverse section on the line /lll ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section en the line 5-5 of Figure 2; v

Figure 6 is similar `view on the line 6*@ of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view of the ratchet and pawl mechanism with parts broken away for clearness;`

Figure S is another view of the pawl q Figure 9 is a view in section on the line 9*-9 of Figure 1; and

Figure 10 is a side View of Figure 9.

Referring in detail to the drawings"7 I have used the reference numerals 1, 1 to denote a pair of coacting semi-circular angle plates which cooperate to form a track. These angle plates or bars include parallel sides 2 connected by substantially Ushaped clips 3 and' spaced apart. `The clips connect the free ends of the parallel sides of the plates and the other sides 4t of the plates or bars 1 project in opposite directions to each other, as seen most clearly in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

It will be seen that I provide two semicircular tracks spaced apart and connected at their upper free ends by truss rods such as 5. In each case the tracks are supported by base membersl in the form of blocks 6 secured to the floor 7 by any suitable securing devices such as 8. The blocks are formed with recesses 9 receiving the tracks and are rigidly connected to the tracks,` as indicated at 10. The. intermediate portion of the tracks rests upon or islocated below the surfaceof the ground or floor and the ends of the track are presented upwardly7 as seen most clearly in Figures 2 and 3l 117 11 represent a pair of semi-circular or arcuate racks. One of the racks is mounted in each of the tracks. These racks include flanges 12 riding upon the upper sides 4 of the plates `or rails 1 and central depending ribs 13 accommodated between the plates and formed with toothed lower edges 14:. (llips 15 bolted to the outwardly projecting edges of the flanges 12 at intervals throughw out the length of the racks are engageable under the flanges of the plates 1 to insure a Vsmooth sliding ymovement of theV racks within the tracks. The supporting blocks 16 carried by `the racks `11 provide points of attachment for the opposite ends of a pair of longitudinal rails 17, upon which `an automobile such as 18 may be supported. a car may heintroduced onto the rails by running the same up a drawhoard 19 at one end of the supporting frame or in other convenient manner, i

l have shown one convenient means of lirmly securing the car to the rails 17 for the'purpose of firmly holding the car during Athe turning operation. This securing means includes UV-bolts 20, the intermediate-por tions of which bear againsta felly 21 of a wheel of themachine and the ends of which straddle the rails 17. The screwthreaded ends of the U-bolts `receive cross heads 22 and nuts 23 screwed onto the threaded ends of the bolts clamp the cross heads 22 against Y the under faces of the rails to securely'hold y the wheels of the automobile against the rails. Cushioning pads such as 2d are interposed between the ii'itermediate portion oi the bolts 2O and the Atelly 21 of the wheel so that the paint work on the 'telly will not be marred.

From the foregoing description .it will be seen that in order toturn-the car on its side or swing the same about, it will merely be necessary to provide some means for sliding the rac-ks ll within the tracks l, and have shown one practical operating means for this purpose. A shaft 25 is journaled between two of the bearingblocks 6 and pinions 2G keyed to the shai't are engageable with the teeth of the racks li to operate the same. At one end ci' the shait 25, a ratchet clutch member 27 is keyed to the shaft. A crank handle 28 mounted to rotate on the end ot the shaft includesa ratchet face 29r which isnormally held in engagement with the ratchet clutch member 2T by aneI-zpansion spring 30 around the shaft 25 acting on the crank handle.

Adjacent the crank handle, a U-shaped bracket 31 isiixed to each of the tracks. Hthin these` brackets double-ended pawls 232 are pivotally mounted upon pins A stud ,Set is provided at the intermediate portion of each bracket 3l. Conti-action springs 35 maybe selectively stretched between the stud 3st andeither onel oi a pair of extensions or lugs-36 at opposite sides oif the pivot pin 33 andintegralwith the .pawl, thereby selectively -lioldingeither end of the pawl in engagement with the teeth of the rack with which said pawlis associated.

The operation of thev device is as follows: After a car has beenlocked in position upon the rails 17, the crank handle 28 is turned back and forth. Movement oit this crank `handle in one direction causes the pinions 26 to turn the racks ll `within the tracks. Movement of the handle inthe other direction has `no effect because of the ratchet clutch member abovedescribed. The pawls {JQ-are in the position shown in Figure 7, preventing` accidental retrrnrrade movement of theV racks within the tracks Continue l turning onkv handle will move the tracks and the' ca.. wm v i 4 y tracks to the:-position shown most clearly i Figure 3, where it may, be conveniently wor-red upon'z lVhen it becomes desirable to restore the to its normal/position, the springs 3o associated with the pa-wls 32 are reversed so that the other endsI olf the pawls come into place. The cr nk handle -niay then. be grasped and pulled out ot engage` ment with the" clutch member ,27. The weight o'li the ear will automatically restore the racksto their normal position and the pawls 3% will prevent undue oscillation or rockingzoirthe car as -it returns byl gravity to thev position-shown in Figure Q.

Although Ilhave illustrated' certain ofthe preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be evident that various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general lorm and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but shall consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly tall within the spirit and scope et the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the character described, a pair of arcuate tracks, arcuate racks slidable in the tracks, means associated with the racks for supporting a car and means toi-sliding,r the racks in the tracks.

2. In a device ot the character described, a pair ot arcuate tracks, arcuate racks slidable in the tracks, means associated with the racks for supporting; a car, means for sliding,- the racks in the tracks, saidv last-mentioned means including pinions engageable with the racks, and means :tor turning the pinions.

3. In a device ot the character described, a pair oit arcuate tracks spaced apart and connected, arcuate racks mounted Ato slide in the tracks, rails connecting and carried by the racks, said rails being adapted to support an automobile, and means for sliding the racks to turn an automobile supported on the rails.

el. ln a device ot' the character described, a pair et arcuatetracks spaced apart andconnected, arcuate racks inountedto slidein the tracks, rails connectingA and carried'by the racks, said rails being adapted to support an automobile, meanstor sliding the racksto turn an automobile supported on the rails, and means for locking the racks in any desired position.

5. in a device of' the character described, a pair o't arcuate tracks spaced apart and connected, arcuate racks mounted to slide in the tracks, rails connecting and carried by the racks, said rails being adapted to support an automobile, means for sliding the racks to turn an automobile supported on the rails, means-tor locking the racks in any desire-d position,A and said last menT tioned means including pawls engagea-ble with the racksc `l n w l 6. In c evice of the character des a .pa-ir of arguate tracks spaced a connected. arcuate racks ,n unted o in the tracks, rails connecting and carried by the racks, said rails being adapted to support anyautoniobile, means 'for sliding the racks to turn an automobile supported on the rails, means i'iorlocking the racks in any desired` position, saidlast mentioned means including' paivls engageable with the racks, and said pawls arranged yto check the movement of the racks in either direction. 7. In a device of the class described, pairs ot arcuate angle plates spaced apart: and rigidly connected to form. tracks, racks slidable in the tracks,rails connecting the racks, and pinions engageable with the racks to slide the saine.

8. Ina device of the class described, pairs oit arcuate angle plates spacedl apart and rigidly connected to if'orin tracks, racks slidable in the tracks,rails connecting the racks, pinions engageable with thc racks to slide the saine, and means engageable with the racks tohold them against accidental move.- ment iny either direction.

9. In a device of the class described, pairs of arcuate angle `plates spaced apart and rigidly connected to 'forni tracks, racks slidvable in the tracks, rails connecting the racks,

pinions engageable with the racks toy slide the saine, and means for manually'operating the pinions.

10. In a device or" the class described, pairs of arcuate angle plates spaced apart and rigidly connected to form tracks, `racks slidable in the tracks, rails connecting the racks, pinions engageable with the racks to slide the same, means for nianually operating the pinions, said means including a common shaft Whereon` said pinions are mounted, a sprlng pressed crank handle on the shaft, and a ratchet clutch associated. with said handle. A.

l1. In a device oithe character described,

a pair or' arcuate tracks, each of said tracksr comprising a pair of arcuate angle irons securedtogether in spaced relation, a carriage movable on the tracks, said carriage being` provided with arcuate racks toengage the space between the angles of the tracks,v

supports for the tracks, pinions carried thereby and positioned Within the space between the track angles to 'engage the racks of the carriage and means tov rotate the pinions to niove the carriage on the tracks.

l2. In a device of the character described, a pairoi arcuate tracks, means to support the same in vertical planes and in spacedv WILLIAM P. KRAMER. 

